FOUR POLICE officers have been suspended and four others moved to other duties after allegations of misconduct were made against them.
The move follows claims that officers were recorded driving a car in a dangerous fashion while waving a firearm.
Footage of the alleged incident is reported to have been seen by senior PSNI officers.
The video pictures, recorded on a mobile phone, show a series of incidents of a car being driven at speed.
The incidents are said to have occurred on police property as well as in public areas.
A criminal investigation is now under way according to Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton, who said said the internal probe was being headed up by the PSNI's professional standards department.
He said he was disappointed by the allegations. "The police service is rightly proud of its reputation for professionalism, ethical behaviour and service to the people of Northern Ireland," he said.
"That has produced high levels of public confidence. Sadly, there are always some individuals who intentionally, or unintentionally, have a disregard for that reputation."
The allegations have surfaced just two weeks after the latest survey on public attitudes towards the PSNI showed an all-time high in levels of satisfaction with the police service.
Mr Leighton continued: "We will not tolerate wrongdoing of any nature or inappropriate behaviour of any description.
"I can assure you that we will take robust and effective action against any officer who through careless disregard, or deliberate malice, seeks to damage that reputation."
Sir Desmond Rea, chairman of the PSNI's independent monitoring body, the Northern Ireland Policing Board, welcomed the service's swift response to the allegations.
"Such alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable, transgresses the code of ethics and besmirches the reputation of the PSNI as a whole," he said. - (additional reporting PA)